SMALL-CHAMBER AND RESEARCH-HOUSE TESTING OF TILE ADHESIVE EMISSIONS

The objective of this study was to compare measured indoor air concent rations of toluene, from an adhesive used in installing floor tiles, w ith concentrations estimated from a multi-chamber indoor air quality m odel. Measurements of toluene emissions li om floor adhesive with and without tiles covering the adhesive were made using a small chamber. E mission data from the chamber measurements were used as input to the i ndoor air quality model. The modeling results were compared with conce ntrations of toluene measured in a research house when adhesive was ap plied in a bedroom a the house. Three zones of the house were defined for modeling purposes the bedroom in which the adhesive was applied th e remainder of the upstairs area, and the downstairs area. Zone-specif ic volumes and infiltration/exfiltration and interzonal airflows measu red during and after adhesive application were also used as model inpu ts. Relatively good correspondence between measured and model concentr ations was obtained, particularly in the bedroom where the adhesive wa s applied. Modeled concentrations were fairly sensitive to the input m atrix of airflow rates.